


The Boy Who Wasn't Himself

by Sheogorath



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Trans Male Character, Trans acceptance, Transgenderism, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 21:46:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1618148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheogorath/pseuds/Sheogorath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A nine-year-old boy is forced to live as a girl until the day he rebels during a school trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boy Who Wasn't Himself

**Author's Note:**

> In the UK, a vest is our equivalent of the American A-shirt. What is called a vest in American English is known as a waistcoat in British English.

## The Boy Who Wasn't Himself.

Fearful of discovery, his breath hitched as he pulled his older brother's briefs on, then put on the boys vest, after which he pulled on the dreaded denim skirt and Hannah Montana T-shirt that his mother had insisted he would 'look so cute' in. He finished off with mint blue ankle socks and his horrible pink Nikes, then he was ready to face his family, hoping his heart wasn't beating so loudly that it gave away his secret; the fact he was wearing the underwear which was supposed to be in storage for when his younger brother grew into them instead of the usual girls vest and knickers. That was one of the best things about living in a relatively poor family, he thought, because there would be no hand-me-downs of the correct type, otherwise.

Christmas was the worst time, when his parents bought their children matching oufits, with patterned jumpers and green corduroy trousers for Adam and Timothy, and an identical jumper with a green corduroy pinafore and green woollen tights for 'Michelle', as they and his brothers insisted on calling him. He hated the name, wishing that his parents had called him Hillary or Lindsay or something. At least that way, he could have claimed they were old-fashioned during the times he went out as himself. Maybe then he wouldn't have the problems that might get him noticed by his family, such as the time a girl called out to her brother, whose name was also Michael, and Michael turned towards her, assuming that she was calling to him. Luckily, he was able to pass it off as thinking that the other Michael was a boy in his class, but it had been a close call all the same.

Really, though, it wasn't Michael's fault that his stupid parents were so stubborn. They were forever telling him that if he was bored, then he should play with his Barbies or colour in his Disney Princesses colouring book with his Bratz felt tip pens, as if they didn't know he always destroyed such toys not long after receiving them, preferring things like Gundam and Ben 10. He also remembered first knowing who he was when he was six, seeing Timothy's small penis and testicles during a nappy change and asking if he was broken because he didn't have the same, but they had told him not to be silly, that girls were made differently to boys, making him scowl and leading to confusion until he heard about congenital malformations and realised that was what must be wrong with him. After this, not daring to tell his parents because he knew they would dismiss his concerns, Michael always dressed in Adam's old underwear under the girls clothes his family thought were suitable for him on the weekends, then once he was at the park, he would go into the mens toilets to turn back into himself using the clothes he had put into his backpack, his only unisex possession.

Today, though, Michael wouldn't be going to the park because it was a school day, but he was able to wear everyday clothes because both his class and the one above would be going on a school trip to a farm to learn about how food is produced. Thus he carefully folded his normal clothes and put them in his backpack before going down to breakfast, after which he carefully put his packed lunch in, opening the bag only enough to ensure his real self wouldn't show. Once he had got to school, however, Michael knew he couldn't wait any longer, so immediately went to the boys toilets, coming back out of the school building just as the teachers who would also be going on the trip were looking for him.

"Oh, Michelle! _There_ you are!" Mrs. Durant said. "Hurry along and get into the bus. We wouldn't want to be late now, would we?"

"I'm not Michelle," Michael said, filled with disappointment that the woman couldn't see him for who he was even without his disguise.

"Of course you are," the teacher persisted. "Don't be silly, girl!"

Just then, Adam got back off the coach, in which he had been waiting.

"He's _not_ Michelle," the older boy stated. "This is Michael, my brother."

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright © 2014 Romersa's Protégé. Individuals and groups are free to copy and share this work for all purposes except large scale distribution, subject to credit being given and any derivatives being released under the same or a similar licence. All other rights reserved.


End file.
